Nevermore
by Rouka The Bane
Summary: Grell, Hurt And Afraid, Flees From Will, And Is Found By Sebastian. The Reaper's Wounds Are Healed, Except For The Worst One Of All, And The Only Person Who Knows About It Would Love To See Grell's Death. Is This The End?
1. Nowhere Else To Go

**LONDON BACK ALLEYS 9:00 P.M.**

Grell stumbled through London's dark, empty back alleys, heavily using his chainsaw to support himself. His whole body hurt and ached, and he winced to remember why;

**FLASHBACK ONE WEEK EARLIER**

Will dragged the flamboyant Shinigami away from the demon butler. Grell exclaimed,

"Ow! Willy~! Lego! This hurts!"

Will was furious, and with all then strength he could muster, swung Grell's back into the edge of a brick building. The injured Reaper let out a broken cry of pain as agonizing pain shot through him. He went limp and allowed his superior to drag him. He looked into the man's eyes and saw pure rage and hatred in his lover's eyes before well, everything, went, black.  
When Grell awoke he with a start, sitting bolt upright and then groaning as the pain shot through his back. Instead, he slumped against a wall and looked around to see he was slumped against the wall farthest from the door. He also realized he was in an office, not his bedroom, and this wasn't his office either, it was Will's. He noticed with mild shock he didn't have his Safety Death Scythe Scissors or his normal Death Scythe.

_Why's Willy dear not here?_

He yawned, head lolling to one side,

_I'm sure he'll be back. It IS his office after all!_

He chuckled a bit but jumped as the door swung open and hit the wall with a SLAM to reveal a furious William, hands as fists and holing Grell's Safety Death Scythe Scissors in his left hand. Grell's eyes widened as the cold man slammed the door closed with his foot, locked it, and stormed to the tired fuzzy, confused redhead. Grell batted his fake lashes and opened his mouth to flirt with his superior, when instead came a cry of pain as Will's foot collided with his defenseless face. When the foot was pulled away the pain was replaced by scissors stabbing into Grell's wrist. Grell screamed, fuzz clouding his eyes once again. For the next two hours, Will cut and beat the Shinigami, ignoring his cries of pain and for mercy. At last, Grell was able to escape both Will and his Realm.

**END** **FLASHBACK**

Grell's consciousness kept flickering in and out as his wounds throbbed with new pain at remembering the ordeal from the week before. He just shook his head and kept stumbling through the alleys, continually having to pick himself up. He wasn't too sure where he was going, but he was SURE Will was following him. He just had to get away.

_Damn,_

He fell on his face, chainsaw clinking away into the shadows of the alley. He rolled onto his side, breathing heavily, then onto his back, gasping for breath at the single gesture. His head fell into the pool of blood he was laying in. He focused on the blood coating him. His vision fuzzed out, but he shook his head and crawled to retrieve his Scythe, and used the last ounces of his strength to jump onto the roof of the building nearest to him and saw the Phantomhive manor. He was half relieved and half afraid, as he'd thought he was more central, when he wasn't.

_Even if they won't let me stay, I have to try. I've got nowhere else to go._

And so, he forced the haze away and took long, striding jump. He had to get to that manor before it was too late.


	2. The Mark

**PLACE AND TIME UNKNOWN**

Grell awoke in a soft bed. His wounds felt a bit better, but his body wouldn't move and he couldn't see. He became a bit panicked, assuming Will had caught him, but the fact he felt a bit better, not worse, made him rule that out, and he was in a soft bed. He groaned as he moved his head to see the blurry outline of what he assumed was a side table. He felt around for a while before finding his glasses and putting them on. With his sight restored, he looked around,

He was laying on soft, white sheets, the trademark carving in the wooden canopy above him was familiar, but it slipped his mind who carved it. He continued to force himself to look around and saw a large open window, a bookcase, wardrobe, the nightstand his glasses had been on, which also had a candle, and a desk with another candle. He noticed the desk was cluttered with pain and sleep medications, disinfectants, rolls of gauze, and other things Grell couldn't make out at the moment. At that moment, a tea cart, pushed by every one's favorite crow demon came in, attracting Grell's attention. Sebastian half forced a smile upon seeing Grell looking at him, and said,

"Ah, good, you're awake. How do you feel, Grell?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but his throat went dry. Sebastian handed him a cup of tea, and he drank gratefully. Putting it on the night stand, he replied,

"Y-Yes, Bassy, I'm fine now."

"Good. Bocchan has ordered me to treat your wounds till you are well enough to return to your Realm."

Grell's throat went dry once again. He looked at the ground and mumbled,

"I can't go back."

Sebastian stopped and looked at Grell. He was surprised at the timid fear in the Reaper's voice and eyes, as well as his features. Sebastian continued picking through the items on the desk and asked,

"Why not?"

"Well,"

For the next thirty minutes, Grell recounted the tale, having to stop many times to wipe tears from his eyes. When he finished, a silence descended, and Sebastian just stood there, staring intently at a bottle in his hand, acting like staring at it long enough would unlock the secrets of the universe. He barely heard Grell say,

"So, I brought myself here, having nowhere else to go. Please Bassy, let me talk to Ciel! I need somewhere to hide from Will!"

Sebastian was surprised at this new timid Reaper. Normally, nothing would phase the redhead, and now he was so afraid. The demon butler even felt a pang of sympathy towards the little redhead. He finally said,

"All right, but first, please try to stay still and take off your shirt and lay on your back so I can disinfect your wounds."

Grell began to jump at the crow happily, but stopped as he said a bit sharply,

"Grell, I asked you to stay still."

He shrunk back to bed with a muttered,

"Sorry Bassy."

Sebastian's eyebrow twitched. He reminded Grell,

"Please take off your shirt."

Grell's head swung to the demon, his eyes full of unasked questions. Sebastian sighed and explained,

"When we found you your clothes were horribly ripped, especially above your waist."

The Reaper now noticed he was wearing a white shirt like Sebastian's undershirt and black butler trousers. He complied with the butler's request with slightly shaking hands and laid back once more, allowing his demonic love to treat the wounds. Next, he put his shirt back on and Sebastian rolled the trouser legs up to above the man's knee cap, as when Grell was found his pants were ripped below the knee caps only. After a little while, his wounds were treated and the pain reliever and sleep medications were making him drowsy. He began to fade into sleep, when he felt a sudden, constricting tightness atop his left thigh only. It was familiar, and woke him up in an instant. He exclaimed to the butler, who was preparing to leave silently,

"Bassy! Can you check the top of my left thigh!? There's a tightness and it hurts!"

Surprised, he turned and came over, saying,

"Of course Grell."

And so, he rolled up the leg and saw a mark half way between where his leg connected to his body and his knee. Sebastian's eyes blazed as he stared down the black shape. It was odd, and had no distinguishable shape, but it pulsed with a dark energy. His "heart" quickened, and he didn't know why. Grell whined, fearful,

"What?! What is it?!"

Sebastian looked into the Shinigami's eyes, his own crimson eyes blazing a fiery red. The Shinigami cringed, but the demon didn't seem to notice. Instead, he said,

"There is a shape on your leg. It's a demonic sign that pulses with a dark energy. However, I don't know anything about it."

Grell though for a while before saying, his voice shaky with fear,

"What could it be?"

After a few more minutes, Sebastian said gently,

"Grell, there maybe ONE person who knows, but you won't like her."

Grell moaned,

"Nooo!"

Sebastian replied gently again,

"She's our best chance to know what it is."

In defeat, he whispered,

"Okay."

Sebastian turned, cupped his hands around his mouth, and called,

"Rouka! Come here, please."

After a few silent minutes, I swung in through a window, smiling, but that turned into a low, menacing growl upon seeing Grell. I'd never really gotten along with Grell. The growling stopped at a word for Sebastian. The demon in disguise said,

"Grell has been through an ordeal, and might be staying for a while. However, he has an odd, and evil sign on his leg pulsates with dark energy. You're older than me, although not physically, so we though you might know."

I stalked over to the Shinigami and immediately locked icy, harsh eyes full of hatred on the mark. Immediately, my eyes changed into sympathy, and I muttered,

"A Bane Curse mark."


	3. A Curse

Both Grell and Sebastian exclaimed,

"What?!"

Tracing the mark with my fingertips, I replied,

"When animals first came to Earth, Banes were the first canines, and ravens were the first birds. The two were separated in to two tribes, and the two didn't get along very well, and feelings were tense. Back then, adult Banes were three times the size of the Phantomhive manor and adult ravens were twice the size. Territory boundaries were rigid and never crossed without severe punishment by either side. But when the Raven and Fox Princes snuck to the Beyond, where every other animal and traitor to either side lived, they met each other, and survived the dangers of the land through teamwork, and they became fast friends. However they had to remain friends in secret. They grew up and stayed friends until they both fell in love, with the same girl. She was a cross, so they both had an equal shot of mating with her. She agreed to go on a date with each of them and then decide who she'd mate. First, she dated the Bane Prince, and told him lies about the Raven Prince, and vise versa. This pitted the two against each other and completed the girl's mission, which had been to destroy the two's friendship and pit the tribes against each other. So, the Bane Prince, having the stronger of the two's magic, placed a curse on the Raven Prince that he'd never find peace, belonging, or happiness, and that he'd be an outcast for all eternity. The prince didn't die when this curse was cast upon him, simply he mutated over billions of passing years and became the raven Nevermore. Curses can be placed upon others in the right conditions, which Will had and so was able to curse Grell. Soon, Nevermore will come to take Grell's greatest love."

We all were silent for a while. Grell admitted he had many loves, more then he could count, but his true love was his secret. Sebastian asked,

"Grell, your true love, who is he?"

Grell was quiet as he replied,

"She."

He looked to me and whispered,

"It's...you, Rouka..."


	4. Nevermore

I was silent for a while, too shocked to say anything. I felt Sebastian and Grell's eyes on me and didn't like it. I simply turned and walked out, neither confirming nor denying Grell's feelings. However, feeling rejected, Grell buried his face in his hands as he felt tears come on.

**PHANTOMHIVE GARDENS 9:00 A.M.**

After Sebastian had dressed Ciel and made sure everything was running smooth, he left to try to find me, as I hadn't been seen since yesterday. He came into the garden after looking everywhere, even Undertaker's, as I'd hid there once, so it was logical I may go back. I wasn't there and Sebastian felt a desperate twinge. Right now, I was the only one who could tell them anything about this curse. Sighing, the demonic butler turned, about to give up looking, when he heard a rustling in a patch of flowers where Snap Dragons and Tiger Lilies had accidentally mixed. Sebastian smirked but mentally slapped himself. Those were my two favorite types of flowers. No surprise I was hiding there. He walked over and parted the flowers a bit to find me curled up in the flowers. I looked at him and muttered,

"Ava is not here. Leave a message. Beeeeeeep."

He smiled a bit and picked me up under the arms. I instinctively pulled my legs up like a pup being carried by its scruff. He asked gently,

"Rouka, why did you just walk out like that?"

After a pause, I replied,

"I hate Grell, but, I also don't hate him, and I don't love him, but, I, I don't know..."

"Well, you're the only one who can help us with this curse. Please come back."

"...Okay."

He set me down and began walking to the manor again, with me soon at his heels.

**GRELL'S ROOM 10:00 A.M.**

Grell was staring out the window when we came back, only offering us a glance before returning his attention back to the outside as he fought back more tears. Sebastian asked,

"Rouka, can you make any prediction of when Nevermore will come?"

Looking at the mark, I replied,

"With luck, one week."

**COURTYARD 8:00 A.M.**

Grell was silent around me and vise versa. He could do SOME work under Sebastian's guidance and supervision, but he was still pretty quiet and withdrawn, jumped when touched, and didn't make eye contact. But now, one week later, dark clouds began rolling in and me, Grell, and Sebastian ran out to watch as everything went grey and time around us stopped. Tall, bone white birch trees rose from nowhere. About six feet away a half circle of birch wood rose and a pure black bird, looking to be about five feet tall with shimmering feathers perched there. Four inch claws wrapped around the slim branch. Every one breathed,

"Nevermore..."


	5. The One He Chooses

The large bird blinked and ruffled its feathers. It didn't move its beak, yet said,

"Yes, I am Nevermore. Grell Sutcliff, I was bound to you by William T. Spears, and so I am here to take either William himself, Sebastian Michaelis, the one called Undertaker, or Rouka, as these are the ones you love the most. However, I DID learn, there IS another I could take."

They all exclaimed,

"WHO?!"

Nevermore swiveled his head to look at Grell.

"Grell Sutcliff."

"WHAT?!"

Every one began shouting their questions all at once. Nevermore ruffled his feathers, appearing to swell up to twice his size. He spread his wings like he was going to take flight and began snapping his beak harshly, quieting them down. He settled himself, preening his feathers. He continued,

"Thank you. Now let me explain, Grell Sutcliff still has a reason to live; love. Because he still feels love, despite all he's been through, I can use that love and take him as his own love. Odd I know. So, what will you do?"

After a while, Grell stepped forward and said softly,

"Okay, I will go."

Every one exclaimed,

"WHAT!?"

Sebastian, actually surprised and feeling alarmed, exclaimed,

"Grell, think about this!"

"NO!"

He clenched his fists, whipping around, and exclaimed,

"I've caused enough trouble! I wanna go with the bird! I've caused enough trouble for every one! It would just be better if I left!"

Nevermore preened his wings again, saying,

"Let's go then, Grell Sutcliff."

He gently laid his wingtips on Grell's shoulder. Grell's eyes flashed and he fell with a spin.

"Well, I'll be leaving."

Nevermore prepared to take off, when I exclaimed,

"NO!"

I jumped forward, touching Nevermore's long tail. My eyes flashed and I fell. Suddenly, in a bright flash, everything went back to normal and me and Grell's bodies, and Nevermore, were gone.


	6. Going Home Alone

**LAND OF THE DEAD TIME UNKNOWN**

In this place of pale, grey dirt, crumbling ruins, and white, leafless, gnarled trees, Nevermore flew to a glowing speck at incredible speeds, leaving me on a marble slab and Grell nowhere in sight. I was lost, alone, and angry. Me and Grell could very well be on opposite sides of the Land of the Dead right now with no hope of reunion, but that wasn't what I was mad about. Or maybe it was. I wasn't sure. I had so many mixed emotions I felt like I was going to scream. I began wandering aimlessly among the ruins, eyes red, growling,

"That idiot Grell! He could be anywhere! Why'd I even go with him!? I hate him, he's worthless. Why do I care?! Because he convinced every one he loved me, that's why! Idiot!"

There was a voice in the distance,

"Help! Hey! Anyone there?!"

I peered over the ruins and saw a squirming speck hung by their shirt collar in a white tree across the ruins. Taking my time, I picked across the ruins and climbed the tree. Indeed, Grell's shirt collar was caught in the tree, and he couldn't get down. I walked easily along the branch and freed Grell, watching as he fell to the ground. Now, I laid in the tree like a leopard. Grell looked up, however, and cried out in relief,

"Rouka! I'm so glad you're safe! I could never live without you because I love you! Let's find a way home!"

I, however, was completely the opposite, snarling,

"Shut up Grell I can't believe you did that! Convincing every one you loved me! Hmph! You don't know a thing about me!"

"Not true!"

My voice turned bland. Like Will's personality, as I replied,

"Do you even know my name?"

"L-Les-Lila-L-London?"

"That's where we live."

"Grell?"

"That's YOUR name!"

I threw a stick at his head. He rubbed his head and cried out,

"Why are you so mean to me?! I love you!"

I growled, narrowing my eyes,

"You are a Shinigami. I a demon. We must be enemies."

"B-But, no, we don't have to! Can't we be just friends? Can't, can't we at least, try?"

I looked taken back and replied in wonder,

"You would defy nature for me?"

"Anything!"

For a while, it looked like nothing short of a miracle would bring me down, but the frown I wore when he was around finally broke into a smile. I replied,

"Yeah. We can try."

Grell smiled a shark tooth grin and stood up, holding his arms out to catch me.

"Jump. And trust me to catch you."

I hesitated, clinging to the branch, before letting go and jumping. Grell caught me by the waist, spun me around, then let me stand. I smiled a bit.

"Thanks, Grell. That, that was nice. Let's go."

He smiled as well and preformed a Sebastian bow, saying,

"Yes, my Lady."

I smiled more as he got up, took his hand, and began expertly leading him around the Land of the Dead. Grell heard a soft CRACK before I did and yanked me into hiding behind a tree. We peered around the tree, keeping silent, and saw two Stone Soldiers, looking for us where we'd been not long ago. One exclaimed,

"Where are they?! Lord Nevermore needs the tonight to complete the immortality ritual!"

The other replied,

"I know! Let's head towards the river."

"All right."

The two lumbered tight past us, not seeing us. Even so, we curled up and held our breath. Grell whispered,

"Let's go to the river too, but by another way. There must be something special there."

I looked skeptically at him but replied,

"Okay."

We crept from our safety and to a grove of collapsed homes. I stopped suddenly, alert as ever. I hissed, shoving him into a house,

"More Stone Soldiers!"

We pressed or bodies flat against the walls, waiting and listening, waiting till it was safe. Soon after, I nodded and we relaxed. That's when we were aware of the two to three hundred eyes studying us. The two of us backed up, but the place was flooded in light from a fire. I asked,

"Who ARE you all?!"

One replied,

"We are the Hidden Hands. Like you two lovers, we are defying Nevermore."

"We're just friends."

A snicker passed but the leader of the group continued speaking,

"All right. Well, I still want to help you, so here, take this and take it to the Rower, the man who lives on the edge of the river."

He handed us a single black feather.

"It's hand stolen from Nevermore. He never molts his feathers, so it's extremely rare. Go and give it to the Rower. And take care."

Grell stuttered,

"T-Thank you!"

"It was nothing. Now go! And tread carefully."

"We will!"

We ran out in excitement and now were half way to the river. I looked at Grell as we walked and said,

"I like them."

"Yeah me too."

"They remind me of my parents."

"You don't have parents."

"Oh yeah. I forgot."

It wasn't long before we got to the river, and saw a young man reclining on a rock, plucking at silent guitar strings. He glanced up but didn't stop playing. He asked,

"You have the feather?"

We held it out. He put down his guitar.

"I can send one of you home with it. Who will It be?"

Grell, forgetting his voice would echo in this empty land that was being patrolled by soldiers looking for us, exclaimed,

"ONLY ONE OF US?!"

We were now being swarmed by the Stone Soldiers, surrounding us from all sides. I exclaimed to Grell,

"Go home, Grell!"

He look startled.

"No! Not without you!"

"Rower! Do it!"

He nodded and got up, spreading his cape. Grell looked at me as I was taken away as a captive. I howled in song,

"Know they self and finally free the Land of the Dead!"

At that moment, Grell was smothered by the Rower's cape, and disappeared, heading home. Alone.


	7. Home

**CIEL'S STUDY 9:01 A.M.**

As Sebastian walked towards Ciel to serve his master morning tea, an orb of yellow light appeared between the two, growing larger and larger till it burst, and revealed, Grell! All three of them were completely stunned, and Grell slowly looked around, eyes wide. His mouth moved and whispered something, but no one could hear it. Grell collapsed where he stood, sobbing. Ciel was startled and overwhelmed by this. Sebastian, however, had recovered from the surprise and knelt by Grell, helping him to sit up. Grell tried to speak, but ended up just wasting gasps of breath. Both exclaimed,

"Speak Grell! Speak the Queen's English!"

He cried out, his voice high,

"She, she, I love her! She gave her life for mine! She's dead, she must be, and I can't even visit her grave!"

"WHO?!"

"Rouka!"

"ROUKA?! WHY?! SHE HATES YOU!"

"BUT I LOVE HER! WHAT SHOULD I DO?!"

Sebastian looked at Ciel and said easily,

"Young Master, please excuse us."

Not waiting, he grabbed Grell's wrist, rushed them back to Grell's room, and slammed the door, his red eyes blazing as he looked into the Shinigami's eyes and exclaimed,

"Explain!"

"Me and Rouka agreed to be friends if we got home, and together we escaped our hunters and found the Hidden Hands, which are one hundred to one hundred and fifty humans who are defying Nevermore. They told us how we could get home, and we went to the Rower, who could only send one of us home. Rouka got him to send me home, and she, she was captured."

Sebastian was silent as he thought about all this. He got an idea and so asked absently,

"Did, she say anything that might help you find her?"

Grell thought and hope flickered in his eyes as he replied,

"She sung "Know thy self and finally free the Land of the Dead". Is that anything?"

Sebastian thought, and shook his head, causing the hope in Grell's eyes to go out. He replied,

"I'm sorry Grell, but, no. That won't help at all. She's gone. Forever."


	8. Free

**GRELL'S ROOM 9:00 A.M.**

Seven months had passed since I'd been taken from the manor. And from Grell. This ment Grell had been working at the Phantomhive manor for the past year, and a few days ago, Will had come and apologized to Grell, even offered him a raise and promotion. Grell accepted the offer reluctantly, and now, on New Years Day, prepared to return to his Realm with William. He first looked around his old room, which was now stripped down to its basic items. All of Grell's belongings packed into the new suitcases at his sides. The only thing he didn't have, was his beloved Scythe. He looked longingly over to where it rested in the corner. He walked over to it slowly, running his gloved finger over the teeth. He was back in his red attire, but for a different reason than most thought. I'd loved red, yet somehow hated Grell. before all this. He always wore this specific red attire, because he knew I loved it, despite what I claimed. He'd once found me trying to steal his coat. Every one thought it's because he loved it, and it would tear him up if he was gone, but he saw pure lust for that coat in my eyes. I loved that coat, and that's why I was trying to steal it. He picked up his Scythe, immediately accustomed to the weight and awkwardness. He began tracing it with a finger, and fanged smile appearing as he muttered,

"Ah, It just feels so right. Like it was ment for me and me for it. And it feels like that, because I'm a Shinigami! And Reaper to DIE for!"

At that moment, everything around the manor seemed to spin and a powerful wind rattled the place. Grell, Ciel, and Sebastian ran outside to see another large, yellow orb growing bigger, and bigger, till it burst and everything slowed down. The three shielded their eyes from the harsh light, but when they could see again, they saw a gathering on the lawn, one hundred and fifty Hidden Hands, and, at the lead of the flock of confused people, ME! Grell ran towards me, no less than tackling me. I was still confused and adjusting to the bright light, and therefore helpless as Grell tackled me, sobbing in happiness. I got him off me gently, not harshly, like I would've done. He apologized for everything, the words coming tumbling from his mouth as he knelt before me. I sat up, laughing, and said,

"Grell, Grell calm down! You did it! You saved us! All of us!"

"H-HOW?!"

"Well, I was taken to Nevermore once you left. After you left, Nevermore began getting deathly ill and began, aging! He'd not aged for billions of years! Night had come, and without the two of us, he'd not been able to complete the immortality ritual that would cause him to continue ruling the darkness and being feared by all, as he loved. He was incurable, and over seven months, he got worse, causing odd things to happen, like grass began growing and the ruins rebuilding themselves. The trees became alive and small animals began coming. And, the second you decided to be a Reaper to DIE for, Nevermore screamed, died, and, here we are! Like I said,"

I howled in song again,

"know thy self and finally free the Land of the Dead. When you knew who you were, you killed Nevermore and freed us all."

Grell hugged me tight, and wept. I hugged him back, truly beginning to have feelings for him, now that we'd defeated Nevermore.


End file.
